If the government denies him bail, it will reinforce the perception that it has pressed capital charges against him to prevent him from campaigning for president.

When the ruling party has unhindered access to government funds, illegally uses government assets such as vehicles to campaign, and receives six times as much TV coverage as the opposition, there is no level playing field.

In an eight-day span, the Ugandan government has seriously damaged its human rights reputation by riding roughshod over the rights of political opponents and the courts. The government has arrested the main presidential opponent, used commandos to intimidate the judiciary and banned all public protests, radio discussions and even posters on the subject.

Given credible claims from observer groups and the opposition political parties, there must be an impartial judicial process.

Given credible claims from observer groups and the opposition, there must be an impartial judicial process. An independent assessment of the facts and a prompt analysis of the legality of the events are essential to maintain citizens' faith in the electoral process.

The ruling party is playing a dirty game of intimidating the electorate and undermining the opposition.